


Essential Beings

by almondmilk_jpeg



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/M, Soulmates, Writing Prompt, semi modern au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-12
Updated: 2018-09-12
Packaged: 2019-07-11 14:51:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15974600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/almondmilk_jpeg/pseuds/almondmilk_jpeg
Summary: Everytime you fall in love, you lose a part of your soul to the person you love. Everytime someone falls in love with you, you get a piece of their soul. You die when you run out of soul to give. History only knows two immortals so far, one who never found love and the other who makes people fall in love with them to purposefully extend their life.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [monc](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=monc).



Y'shtola never fell in love. 

It wasn't as if it was her goal to avoid it, she hated it in fact. If she could easily fall in love, mayhap she wouldn't have seen everyone and everything she cared for die before her. 

She was immortal, or at least, thats what they called her. For the first few hundred years of being in the prime of her early twenties, young Y'shtola Rhul enjoyed watching the world change around her. Ever the sucker for knowledge, she was thrilled to learn about any new change that happened in the world. 

A many of scholars over the years would consult her on a many of things, she was, after all, considered to be the most knowledgeable being in existence. At least, she had been. 

At some point, Y'shtola stopped counting the years that went by and couldn't bring herself to keep up to date with the new world. She gave up on leaving her home in search of someone she could love, instead favouring the books in her personal library. 

After all these years of hiding away, no one outside was even sure if she was still living. She never answered the door and never seemed to leave her home. It was as if she disappeared off the face of the planet. So what happened? 

It was probably close to 6:00 am when Y'shtola rose from bed. It was the same every morning, she had to wait about two minutes for her grey eyes to adjust to the light in the room and when they did, she would stretch so far that her ears would flick in time with her heartbeat. 

This morning was no different. After stretching, Y'shtola lifted herself out of bed with a yawn, her teeth grinding slightly as her mouth closed. She padded across the room to her wardrobe where, when opened, revealed tunics that went out of fashion in Eorzea about three hundred years ago. At least, that was her estimate. Had she really not been outside in three hundred years? 

She shook her head vigorously, now was not the time to think about that. Her world consisted of this two bedroom home that she kept standing from the inside. Only Llymlaen knows how it is being held up from the outside. It was probably covered head to toe in ivy for all Y'shtola knew. 

She walked past her kitchen, knowing that even if she didn't eat again, she'd be okay. It's not like her body changed anymore. She never seemed to get thinner, and starvation was never an issue. So, she didn't even turn her head on her way to her library. 

Upon stepping in, Y'shtola reached for the nearest tome, which she happened to know was an old Ishgardian tale, _The Boy and the Dragon Gay_ , most likely lost to time. She sat down in her old cushioned loveseat, running her fingers over the time worn spine of the book she must've read hundreds, if not thousands, of times. 

> _In a bleak village on the outskirts of Coerthas there lived a shepherd boy, poor but kind of heart._
> 
> _One day a band of ruffians came and spirited the boy away, seeking to deliver him to a slave trader in hopes of earning some coin-_

Y'shtola's inner thoughts were interrupted by a loud knock at her door. She looked up, her left ear flicking. It had been a long while since anyone knocked here, perhaps some child had been dared to approach her home by a fellow peer? It wasn't as if she planned on answering the door, and she doubted another knock would sound, so she entranced herself within the tale again. 

> _No sooner had they left the village than they were set upon by a great dragon. Down from the heavens it swooped, tearing the blackgaurds limb from limb and charring their carcasses with hellsfire._
> 
> _But it was by no mere chance that the great wyrm had found them, no! The boy had befriended the great wyrm some time ago, and it had sensed the danger to its dear friend-_

That knock again, this time more aggressive. Y'shtola knitted her brows together. What could anyone possibly want from her? She had been holed up in here so long, she wasn't even sure life existed anymore. As her tail twitched irritably, she tried to focus on the story again.

> _Alas, in the chaos, the boy had tumbled from the mountains, and lay half dying at the base of the cliff-_

_**Knock, knock** _

> _Seeing its friend lying there, battered and beaten, the dragon gave unto the child of its blood-_

**_K_ nock, knock**

> _So it was that the boy-_

_**Knock, knock** _

> _T_ ook _to the skies as the wyrm's-_

_**Knock, knock,** _

> _Minion, flying off to only the-_

_**Knock, knock, knock** _

> _Gods know-_

_**Knock, knock, knock** _

" _What!?_ " Y'shtola shouted loudly. She stood suddenly enough that her book fell to the floor and slammed shut with a _**snap**_. She ground her teeth together and her tail thrashed wildly. Her ears were pressed flat against her head and, oh, how she had _had_ it with this _unwelcome visitor._

 

* * *

 

Thancred never fell in love. 

Not really, anyway. It was his goal to avoid it in order to stay alive forever. If he could easily fall in love, mayhap he would already be six feet under with his family long left behind. 

He was immortal, or at least, thats what they called him.

Thancred had begun charming women and men alike for bits and pieces of their souls since he first turned 32. His heart was broken after offering bits of his soul to a woman who never gave back, thus he stopped offering his soul to others and woo'ed them into giving him theirs. 

Ever the bard, for the past five hundred years Thancred used his charming voice and handsome appearance to steal souls from others while never again losing a piece of his own. 

Many of the older folk in Eorzea who have settled down with their soulmate will tell tales of Thancred Waters' misdeeds, but when you're blindly searching for love, what seem like faerie tales are naught but prattle.

So, here he is, Thancred Waters stood infront of what appeared to be an abandoned house. The front yard, if you could call it that, was simply a mess of foliage and the hovels walls were naught but ivy. However, Thancred could clearly see what appeared to be a lit gas lamp through some of the tendrils. She had to be home, no?

_**Knock, knock** _

No answer. 

_**Knock, knock** _

He was excited, he couldn't lie. She was most elusive, never fallen in love? Not a single shard of her soul to be given away?

_**Knock, knock** _

...

Well, he did like a challenge. 

Finally, on the eighth knock...

_**Knock, knock, knock** _

A loud shout could be heard from inside, " _What!?_ " Ah, mission accomplished. 

The fuming miqo'te pried open the door to reveal a tall hyuran man with white hair and tanned skin. " _What do you want?_ " The Miqo'te spat. Her voice was hoarse from disuse and her expression was one that rivaled any poor lady Thancred had tossed to the side before. 

This, this would be difficult. 

"You must be here for something, so don't just stand there gawking. What do you need?" It was more of a statement than a question, really. It was as if she didn't really expect an answer. 

Thancred however, had the full intention to provide the pretty woman an answer, one she certainly did _not_  want to hear. 

He looked at her for a second, admiring the short white hair she wore and her dull grey eyes. Her olive skin was a stark contrast to her self-cut hair. And her eyes shone with such anger...She must really dislike her peace disturbed. However, Thancred was on a mission to stick his nose where it didn't belong, and unfortunately for the mage, she was his new target. 

"Well, my dear, I was hoping to speak with you. How does tea sound?" He offered his hand forward and her expression turned sour. 

"Certainly not. Are you honestly inviting yourself into _my_  home to _my_  tea?" She asked, holding intense eye contact as she crossed her arms. 

Defeated and awkward, Thancred lowered his hand. "Uh, no, my dear. I thought to invite you out to a café or some such?" 

The minx quirked an eyebrow and twitched her tail irritably. "Simple answer then. No. Tell me what you desire and then off with you." 

Thancred paused to sneak a glance within her home, where he saw naught but a room that seemed to be her kitchen, where it looked rather empty, save for a tea kettle, chairs, and table. How long had she been living this way? 

Suddenly, Thancred wondered if he really should've come here. She seemed to be at peace for the most part, but, she didn't seem happy. A sense of guilt washed over the bard, he really shouldn't play this one but...

The way she was standing there looking at him with such an expression, one he'd never seen from a woman, how could he just leave? She was so intriguing...So different. 

Thancred grinned widely, a genuine grin, and took a step forward, "Well then, my dear, I'll just have to partake of some of yours, no? Let us continue this conversation over tea." 

 

* * *

 

Y'shtola was not sure how she ended up sipping green tea with a stranger at her table, one covered in so much dust that if she wasn't _seething_ she might've cared. 

With her arms crossed under her chest, she watched the hyuran man sip his tea contently, a smile wide across his face. 

Y'shtolas tail twitched and her ears flicked unpleasantly. "My dear," The man began, setting down his tea cup, "You seem upset, do tell what ails you so." 

"Do not call me _my dear_ ," Y'shtola hissed, "I am not dear to you, Hyur." 

"Oh!" He exclaims suddenly, startling the irritable woman, "I've neglected to introduce myself, how rude of me!" 

_'Yes, because that is certainly the most distasteful thing you've done since your gallant arrival...'_

The white haired man extended his hand to her and dipped his head, his bow was so funny while sitting that Y'shtola had to force herself not to laugh at him. "Thancred Waters, milady, pleased to make your acquaintance." 

Y'shtola quirked an eyebrow at the use of milady, but it was better than my dear. Thancred kept his head dipped, waiting expectantly for Y'shtola to take his hand. Unluckily for him, that didn't happen. "Y'shtola." 

Thancred lifted his head and clicked his tongue, "A beautiful name for a beautiful woman. That is a name traditional to the old ways of the Sun Seekers, no?" 

Y'shtola quirked an eyebrow, "Yes, I was born into the jaguar tribe some time ago, back when they still existed," 

Thancred nodded thoughtfully, "Aye, I remember the days well. You and I have been around for a similar amount of time, no?" 

The miqo'te watched Thancred pick up his tea and hum contently. What did he want? "Yes, I suppose. Now, why is it that you're here?" 

Thancred's giddy expression changed a bit, one less whimsical and more serious. "Well, milady, I'm well aware of your situation as far as love goes," Y'shtola bit her lip. "So, originally I had thought to change that. However," He paused to take another sip of his now empty tea cup, "After seeing you in person and how desolate your life is, mine intent is now to simply befriend you." 

Y'shtola snorted slightly, she reached for the tea kettle and poured her guest another cup. "And how am I to know you aren't here to steal away a shard of my soul, hm?" 

Thancred's eyes widened a bit as he looped his finger through the cup's handle. "How did you-?" 

Y'shtola leaned back in her chair and crossed her left leg over her right, "Easy. Before I went into hiding, I heard the stories of you. But also," She stared intensely into Thancred's eyes, "Your eyes. One is grey but the other brown. You've fallen before, but it's been decades and it was unreciprocated. That's why one of your eyes has returned to it's original lack of colour." 

She paused for a sip of her own. "So, Mr. Waters, you've been going around breaking hearts and stealing soul shards to keep yourself alive. That's despicable." 

"You've kept yourself alive all this time, milady. How is what you're doing any better?" Thancred inquired. 

"The only person I've hurt is myself, Mr. Waters," She stated, her eyes carrying a sense of emptiness by such an extreme that it made Thancred shrink a bit in his seat. "I think it's time for you to go," Y'shtola murmured as she bit her lip. 

Thancred sighed, maybe he really _was_ in the wrong here, though it wasn't really his intent. He really did want to help this woman, and this was the first time since his heart was broken that he felt this way. He had to act upon it. "I'll be back, milady," He said with a charming smile as he excused himself from the table and then the front door. 

Y'shtola sat by herself at the table she hasn't used in decades, her throat hurt from speaking and her whole body felt heavy. She had been fine before he came so...so why now did she feel so overwhelmingly _lonely?_

She hated to admit it, but she really did hope he would return soon. 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Boy and the Dragon Gay, Processings of the Council of Magi, Of Loves Unrequited, and On the Culinary Applications of Coblyns are all from the Great Gubal Library (Hard).


	2. Chapter 2

Soon, Y'shtola found herself not having to hope for Thancred's return as he had made sure to visit her every other day to see what she was up to. She couldn't help but wonder where the man was staying, she didn't think he lived in this town by the way he spoke about all his little local discoveries.

He would try to convince her to join him for lunch out at some restaurant he enjoyed, but Y'shtola would never accept. Thancred wasn't sure if she still didn't like him, or if she was simply afraid of being exposed to the world again. He already felt bad about rousing new rumors in town, he didn't want to upset her further.

"Milady," Thancred called as he thumbed through the pages of a tome he had pulled off of Y'shtola's shelf. He stood with a thoughtful look on his face before snapping the tome shut, "You have quite the assortment of literature here. But, do inform me why you have a love-like letter written from a Roegadyn to a Goblin?"

Y'shtola glanced up from her book  _Proceedings of the Council of Magi_  to glance at Thancred's. Upon seeing her trying to crane her neck, Thancred turned the book so the cover was directly in her view. "Ah, _Of Loves Unrequited._ " She said simply.

"Yes, thank you, I read the title. But why do you have it?" Thancred asked, glancing at one of the pages.

> _Could one of your kind ever love a lumbering brute like me?_

_'Good question indeed,'_  Thancred thought to himself, sparing a glance at the Miqo'te sprawled across a mauve loveseat.

Y'shtola's ear flicked and she turned the page of her book, "My tomes all come from the ancient Great Library. I took as many as I could before locking myself away. I didn't really pay any attention to _what_  I was grabbing, just _how many_  I was."

Thancred hummed, satisfied with her answer. He closed the tome again and slid it back into its place on the shelf next to two other similarly named books.

Y'shtola glanced up from her page to watch the Hyuran man as he scanned her shelves, his index finger running along the spines until he finally found one of interest. "This one is especially dusty, have you never touched it?" He asked her, not really expecting a reply as he pried open the book, dust flew into his face, causing him to cough briefly.

"Whats it's name?" She asked, catching a coughing Thancred off guard.

He closed the book over the thumb that held his page, " _On the Culinary Applications of Coblyns_ ,"

Y'shtola hummed in response, turning her page yet again. "I remember that one, it was my former caretaker's. She used to cook for me using that cookbook, but ever since I realised nothing would happen to me if I didn't eat, it's sat untouched."

Thancred nodded, thumbing through the pages before landing on one in particular, "Do you like salmon meuniere?"

Y'shtola hid the hint of a smile, "More of a moon keeper dish, but yes, Matoya used to make that for me when I was young. She was convinced all miqo'te liked the same dishes." She reminisced fondly before catching Thancred's confused eye. "Ah, Matoya was my caretaker," She clarified.

Thancred nodded, "Noted," Her murmured aloud, just with enough volume that Y'shtola barely heard it.

Y'shtola quirked her brow a bit, "Noted?" She repeated curiously while closing her book and rested it on her stomach.

Thancred nodded, his back turned to her now, as he had turned to grab an old quil sat on her desk, slipped the feather in the pages, and closed the book. "Noted and bookmarked."

He placed the book under his arm and began making his way out of the room, "Where are you going?" Y'shtola asked.

He turned his head and smiled, "Worried about me? I jest. I'm going out, but I'll be back!" Y'shtola glanced at the grandfather clock set between two bookshelves. It was 4 pm, where could he be going? And when exactly would he return? Before she could ask, Thancred had already left, and Y'shtola could barely hear the click of her front door shutting.

Sighing she went back to the pages within her story, she could barely remember reading something about the naming of cure spells before a sudden wave of sleep overcame her and she found herself dropping the book back onto her stomach.

* * *

 

Y'shtola woke some time later, the clock read 7 pm now and light no longer filtered through once closed windows. Y'shtola lifted the book off her body and placed it upon a side table as she sat up. She flicked on her lamp and suddenly the room was illuminated. Nothing had changed from when she had been awake, and the book Thancred took was still missing from her shelf. He must not have come back.

Slowly, Y'shtola rose and made her way out of the library. From her place in the hall, she could see light coming from the kitchen. It was strange, she was sure it was off earlier. Deciding to investigate, Y'shtola padded to the kitchens door, where she was greeted with a sight most unexpected.

Thancred _had_  returned, and he was hovered over her gaslit stove. She wasn't even sure how he got that to work. Had he bought fuel? Confusion washed over her and she stood dumbstruck in the doorway. The Hyuran man who was holding a sizzling pan filled with fish, turned and chanced to see Y'shtola in her awe. "Oh, you're awake! How does dinner sound?" He asked with a grin.

Y'shtola snapped back to reality, and for the first time noticed the sweet smell of fried salmon. She breathed in deeply and sighed. "It sounds lovely. When did you return?" She asked as she made her way to the table where glasses of water were already set.

Thancred turned back to his frying with a smile, "Ah, not long ago. But, you were already asleep, so I figured I'd wake your once dinner was ready," He turned off the burner and turned to the table where he slipped a piece of the delicious looking fish onto each of their plates. "But, it seems you've saved me the trouble, milady."

"You mean you went to the markets just to make this?" Y'shtola asked as she dug her fork into a bite of fish. Thancred nodded as he watched her take her first bite.

"How is it? As good as mother used to make?"

Y'shtola smiled as the flavours spread over her tongue. The lemon was very apparent in Thancred's version of the dish, which Y'shtola greatly enjoyed. It was a tad overdone, but with how thankful Y'shtola was to enjoy such a meal, she didn't care. "It's...wonderful. Better than I can ever remember it being."

Y'shtola wasn't sure she had ever seen Thancred smile so wide. "I can make you things more often, you know. I can try anything you want from the cookbook. I'm not an amazing chef, but I could take some classes in Limsa if you'd like me to," He was so enthusiastic, how could she say no?

"I'd like that," Y'shtola answered, taking another bite of the salmon meuniere. Content, the two sat in silence before Y'shtola thought to mention something, but when they made eye contact, she couldn't hope to remember what she had meant to say. Why? Because this... _this_ was much more important.

"Thancred...your eye! It's _brown_!"

Thancred didn't look up from his plate, "Yes, I know. What of it?"

"No!" She insisted, " _Both of them!_ "

His eyes widened, "Both of them?" He repeated. He looked up at her and what he saw was equally, if not more, shocking. "Turquoise. Your eyes are turquoise,"

"My...?" Y'shtola dropped her fork and covered her mouth in shock, "Oh my..."

Their eyes locked and they didn't break it. Neither of them moved. The only sounds were the soft breathing carried between them.

Y'shtola, who had carried dull grey eyes for her entire life knew that was simply proof of her inability to fall in love. But to know that now they held colour? She had fallen in love. With the passing bard who interrupted her peace no less!

Thancred, who had carried one dull grey eye for the better part of his life knew it was simply proof of what had and hadn't been. But to know they now matched in colour? He had fallen in love. With the mage who he intended to manipulate for his own benefit no less!

They both softly smiled, first Thancred and then Y'shtola. Thancred extended his hand to the woman across the table, who took it with little hesitation. Despite both of them experiencing momentary hints of panic, when they connected their hands, suddenly they knew things would be okay.

"Who would've guessed it would turn out like this?" Thancred joked, humour showing on his face. 

"Thancred," Y'shtola murmured, "Please, show me this new world that we might see it together. If you were with me, I think I might be able to handle it."

Thancred's eyes went soft and he squeezed her hand, "Of course, my dear."


End file.
